Pumped Up Kicks: The adidas J Wall 1 “Bad Dreams”

Press Release for the adidas “Bad Dreams” for the 2014 NBA Christmas Day Games:

adidas unveils the “Bad Dreams” collection for NBA Christmas Day Games
adidas today unveiled an all-new colorway collection of basketball footwear that will be worn by adidas athletes during the 2014 Christmas Day NBA games.

Dubbed the “Bad Dreams” collection, the shoes feature holiday colors, a unique a mix of textures and glow in the dark accents to signify haunting the dreams of opponents. In addition, each shoe features a graphic with a Roman numeral call out for December 24, 2014.

Glow in the dark never really gets old.
(image from adidas)

Footwear models included in the “Bad Dreams” collection include the D Rose 5 Boost, J Wall 1, Crazylight 4 Boost, and Crazy 2.

The adidas "Bad Dreams" collection for the 2014 NBA Christmas Day Games. From left to right: Crazy 2, Crazy Light 4 Boost, D Rose 5 Boost, and J Wall 1.
(image from adidas)

D Rose 5 Boost
The “Bad Dreams” D Rose 5 Boost features a black canvas upper with white multi-directional striping. Glow-in-the-dark panels highlight key elements of the shoe including the outsole, heel, back and tongue logo.

The D Rose 5 Boost is the ultimate signature shoe to outfit Derrick Rose on and off the court. It features adidas’ most innovative technology and the most personal details ever included on a shoe in the D Rose signature collection. The D Rose 5 Boost offers full shoe length Boost cushioning technology designed for heightened energy return and step-in comfort to ensure maximum performance.

J Wall 1
The “Bad Dreams” J Wall 1 features a two toned green canvas upper with black stitching details and silver reflective vertical three stripes. The shoe is accented with multiple glow-in-the-dark elements including the outsole, J Wall logos on the tongue and lateral side and the adidas logo on the back.

The J Wall 1 features a sleek, bold design inspired by Wall’s quick on-court play and fashion forward off-court style. The new John Wall logo incorporates Wall’s initials, “JW” and is designed with the “J” crossing-over to the “W” as a nod to his quick playing style and ability to cross over defenders.

Shout out to adidas Philippines and Titan 22 for the awesome pair and for the great experience at the Titan 22 Trial Run!
(image from the Instagram account of Hoop Nut)

Crazylight Boost
The “Bad Dreams” Crazylight Boost features a black mesh upper with a white reflective screen printed design and red three-stripes on the lateral side. The shoe is accented by a speckled print midsole and glow in the dark outsole.

At 11.6 ounces, the Crazylight Boost is exceptionally light with every element of the shoe constructed to maximize the energy benefit of Boost, which is featured in the heel of the shoe. A unique collar design offers the mobility of a low-top and stability of a mid.

Retail information:

The “Bad Dreams Collection” D Rose 5 Boost (PHP 8495), J Wall 1 (PHP 5995) and Crazylight Boost (PHP 7495) launch at adidas Trinoma, Titan stores, and the NBA Store this December.

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Review of the adidas J Wall 1 “Bad Dreams:

Form:
- I don’t usually like bright green, but considering the context of this release (It’s part of the adidas “Bad Dreams” 2014 Christmas pack), I think the nearly-overwhelming green hue of this particular shoe is great.
- I also love the little details that make this particular colorway distinct form the initial J Wall 1 release, the Team USA version, and the Woven Paisley colorway, which I also love by the way. Specifically, I love the zig-zag pattern on the laces, the patchwork-style stitches on the textile-feel upper that give it an almost zombie-ish countenance (hence, “Bad Dreams”), and the, hold it, glow-in-the-dark feature.

Stitches, zig-zag patterns, and the John Wall insignia -- all design inputs that Wall himself approved.
(image from adidas)

- I’m not entirely sure how its form factor will hold up beyond the hardwood, but I’ll find out soon as I plan to rock these kicks when I host my company’s Christmas party this week (I will update this post after then).

Performance:
- Traction is pretty good, but I’m not sure I’d want to play outdoors in these shoes. I have two reasons for this. First, when I tried them out in the Titan 22 J Wall 1 Trial Run held earlier this week at the Treston Gym in BGC, I noticed that, despite not being worn for too long, the J Wall 1 sole already gathered some dirt/dust. I’m afraid wearing these in outdoor courts (especially those with concrete flooring) will wear the shoes down faster than they should be. The second reason is, well, these shoes are just too nice for outdoor play. The material used in the upper will probably gather a lot of dirt/dust as well, so it’ll probably be just covered courts and hardwood/taraflex surfaces for these babies.

Check out the intricate pattern on the soles. A little dust/dirt-prone, though.
(image from adidas)

- I also like the cushioning. adiPrene+ is nice, though, to be completely honest, the Boost tech of the Crazylight 4 and D Rose 5 still bests it.
- I’ve read and heard about how the original colorway of the J Wall 1 has great breathability, and I cannot dispute that after giving this pair a few runs. The “stitched” upper offers great ventilation, but I’d still want to try out the Paisley and the other colorways for more scrutinized comparison.
- As for the shoe’s support, the new FitFrame tech is a clear improvement over the already solid SprintFrame. FitFrame gives more enhanced support, especially for the heel. There’s also what I call a “soft tongue” sticking out of the rear that provides added cushioning/support for one’s Achilles heel.

Bottom-line:
- My three favorite adidas basketball shoes are the D Rose 2.5, the D Rose 5 Boost, and (drumroll) this new pair of J Wall 1s. Overall, I still love the 2.5 the best. The D Rose 5 and J Wall 1, meanwhile, are generally tied as close seconds. The Rose 5 offers better cushioning and form factor, while the Wall 1 offers better breathability and flexibility. The Wall 1 is also good-to-go straight from the box. Unlike the Rose 5, there’s next-to-no break-in period for the Wall 1.
- After a few runs and after considering everything, what I can conclude is that the J Wall 1 is an awesome addition to the three stripes’ signature shoe line, especially considering how much tech (affecting both form and performance) is built into it. To paraphrase my friend Martin Diaz, this is a great PhP5,995 shoe.

I could be looking at my default alumni league shoe.
(image from adidas).

More images from the Titan 22 Trial Run of the adidas J Wall 1:
- Images by Roy Afable.

The other colorway tested in the Trial Run -- the Woven Paisley. It has a slightly softer and semeingly more breathable upper compared to the Bad Dreams version.

The Bad Dreams colorway sporting is glowing.

PBA playmaker Chris Ross giving some pointers to the youngsters in attendance.

Great young talent (from left to right): Chamie Diputado of San Beda HS, Renzo Subido of UST, Niko Abatayo of San Beda HS, Rev Diputado of NU, and Radge Tongco of San Beda College.